Schatz raced into the lead on the fifth round en route to a convincing
victory in the 25-lap Lucas Oil ASCS presented by K&N Filters National
feature event to earn the pole position for Saturday night's $15,000-to-win
Western World Championships main event, becoming the 100th different winner
in ASCS National history in the process.

Johnson swept into the lead on the ninth round of the 25-lap ASCS Canyon
Region main event and went on to earn the pole for Saturday night's
$5,000-to-win wingless feature with his sixth series win of the year.

Lucas Oil ASCS presented by K&N Filters (Winged)

It had been a while since Donny Schatz had started a Lucas Oil ASCS National
feature event. In fact, the last time the Fargo, ND, resident competed in an
ASCS National event, he was an 18-year-old enjoying some Florida sun back in
February of 1996.

Now, more than 14 years later, Schatz again crossed paths with the Lucas Oil
ASCS presented by K&N Filters National series and came away with a
resounding victory aboard the Tony Stewart Racing Bass Pro Shops No. 20
entry.

"Our next year is starting today, so we're happy to be in victory lane,"
Schatz commented. "We learned from it, we'll be able to watch tomorrow, come
back Saturday night and try to win the Western World!"

After starting the feature from the third position, Schatz charged past
early pacesetter Sam Hafertepe, Jr., on the fifth round and never looked
back as he sliced through traffic at a frantic pace much of the way.

Schatz explained of the traffic, "That's what makes racing fun, that's the
stuff as a driver that you itch for."

Schatz took the checkered flag nearly a half lap ahead of 20-year-old
Nebraska shoe Jack Dover, who wrestled second away from Hafertepe just past
the midway point and then outlasted Sammy Swindell over the waning circuits
to secure the runner-up position aboard the Shaver-powered 3D Auto Transport
No. 53 Eagle.

Defending Western World winner Swindell settled for the show position in the
Big Game Tree Stands No. 1, while 21-year-old Cody Darrah of Red Lion, PA,
made the most of his first Lucas Oil ASCS National feature start by charging
from the 17th starting position to fourth.

Hafertepe slipped to fifth in the wild scramble for position over the final
half of the race, with pole starter Gary Wright crossing the stripe in
sixth.

After suffering engine woes while leading on the final lap of the "B" Main,
Brady Bacon used a provisional to start the main event and raced from 23rd
to seventh to lock into Saturday's Western World finale, with Tony Bruce,
Jr., taking the eighth and final lock-in position.

Michael Dupuy fell one position shy of locking in with a ninth-place
showing, with Brodix Rookie of the Year contender Channin Tankersley
completing the top ten.

Thursday's feature pace was interrupted on three occasions, the first when
sixth-running Zach Chappell clipped an infield tire exiting turn four and
spun to the infield. Chappell rejoined the chase and salvaged a 13th-place
finish.

The red flag flew after eight laps when California's Andy Gregg got upside
down in turn two, with the final caution appearing with 14 laps in the books
when Aaron Berryhill came to a stop in turn two.

Following the start and each caution, it took little more than four laps for
the leaders to reach traffic on the high-speed 3/8-mile clay oval.

Hafertepe, Calvin Landis, Tankersley and Wright topped heat races for
Thursday night's 30 Lucas Oil ASCS presented by K&N Filters contenders, with
Darrah taking "B" Main honors after Bacon lost power on the final circuit.

The balance of the 60-plus field of winged Lucas Oil ASCS competitors hits
the track in Friday's qualifying event.

ASCS Canyon Region (Wingless)

R.J. Johnson carried the hot hand into this year's edition of the Western
World Championships with victories in four of the seven most recent ASCS
Canyon Region events.

Johnson continued that momentum on Thursday night at USA Raceway, driving
around Johnny Herrera on the top side on the ninth round and racing on to
his sixth ASCS Canyon Region win of the year and third in a row aboard the
Michael Brothers Racing Ford-powered Mammoth Sound No. 77m Sherman.

"Once we got our momentum up there, we were pretty good, this thing was set
up on a rail," Johnson explained. "This is the biggest win of my career so
far, now we've just gotta try to get Saturday."

While Sherman started Thursday's 25-lap feature from the front row outside,
it was Gary Taylor gunning into the lead from the pole position and leading
the initial pair of circuits before seventh-starter Herrera raced by on the
low side with Johnson and eighth-starter Shane Cottle following suit within
the next pair of laps.

After fifth-runner Joshua Hodges slapped the wall exiting turn four on the
ninth lap and was fortunate to escape with just right rear damage, Johnson
took to the topside and powered by Herrera exiting turn four to take
command.

Herrera tried to keep pace, but even after a Matt Rossi flip on the 19th lap
that brought out a red flag, the Albuquerque shoe was no match for Johnson
who took the checkered flag with a 1.271-second advantage.

Herrera settled for second, while current ASCS Canyon Region points leader
and defending series champion Charles Davis, Jr., charged from 17th to take
the show position and lock up a second consecutive series championship.

California's Colby Copeland raced through the field as well with a run from
14th to fourth, with Indiana's Cottle rounding out the top five.

Kyle Larson claimed sixth, with Kansas' Chris Morgan prevailing in the duel
for the seventh and final lock-in position to Saturday night's $5,000-to-win
wingless Western World Championship main event.

Taylor was next across the stripe in eighth, with Dustin Morgan and Rick
Ziehl completing the top ten.

The initial attempt to start Thursday's feature quickly went red when
fifth-starter Bud Kaeding slapped the wall exiting turn two and went for a
wild ride down the backstretch, with Ronnie Clark turning over in the melee
as well. Both drivers were uninjured.